– URLA –

The Discovery of Olive Oil

Humanity has always asked thesame question of nature: What is this for?

The Urla Peninsula is one of the earliest places where this question found a brave and enduring answer through the olive.
Because here, the olive did not merely grow , it was understood.

For thousands of years, the olive tree has existed side by side with humankind. Bitter, firm, impossible to eat in its raw state and yet, never abandoned.
In mythology, it was seen as a divine gift; in Anatolia, it was called the “immortal tree.” Cut down, burned,
left behind, it always returned. Urla is one of the landscapes where this persistent tree was patiently deciphered.

Scientific research shows that wild olive trees existed in the Mediterranean nearly one million years ago. Yet the transformation of this fruit into a cultivated crop required human
observation, intelligence, and time. The clearest traces of this transformation are found in Klazomenai, the ancient city of Urla.

Where Olive Oil Became Knowledge

Dating back to the 6th century BCE, the Klazomenai olive oil workshop is considered one of the oldest
and most advanced production sites in Anatolia. Here, olives were not simply
crushed; they were separated, rested, and preserved.
The three-compartment settling system used to separate oil from water reveals an extraordinary level of technical understanding for its time.

This workshop marks the moment when olive oil moved beyond household use and became a cultural and commercial value. Transported in Klazomenai’s distinctive amphorae, olive oil traveled across the Aegean and the Mediterranean, gaining the meaning Homer would later call “liquid gold.” It is no coincidence that this expression was born in Ionia.

Erkence: Urla’s Signature on the Olive

The character of Urla olive oil comes from Erkence, a native olive variety of the peninsula. Difficult to domesticate and exceptionally aromatic, Erkence carries the marks of its land
with honesty. This resistance to taming is precisely what gives Urla olive oil its depth and distinction.

In some years, a rare natural phenomenon occurs here: hurmalaşma. Under specific climatic conditions, olives lose their bitterness while still on the branch, without human intervention.
Although hurma olives are mostly consumed as table olives, this process stands as quiet evidence of how early and how intimately this region engaged with the olive.

It is considered one of humanity’s earliest answers to the question:

How could a fruit so bitter on the branch ever be eaten?

The Sensory Identity of Urla Olive Oil

Surrounded by the sea on both
sides, the Urla Peninsula exposes its olive trees to iodine-rich winds throughout the year. This maritime influence intensifies aromatic compounds anddefines the oil’s sensory profile.

On the nose:

  • Wild Aegean herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and maquis
  • Green plum, unripe almond, and fresh grass notes
  • Tomato blossom with a subtle hint of pine resin

On the palate:

  • High fruitiness with a full, velvety body
  • Nuances
    of artichoke and wild chicory
  • A balanced bitterness and a clean, lingering pungency at the back of the
    throat

This pungency is a natural
indicator of high polyphenol content — compounds that contribute not only to
health benefits, but also to flavor depth and longevity.

Beyond the Kitchen

Urla olive oil is not limited
to salads. It performs beautifully with vegetables, seafood, meats, and even
baked goods and cakes. Its velvety texture and aromatic strength allow it to
hold its character, carrying flavor rather than disappearing into the dish.

Urla olive oil is not the
result of a recipe, but of a discovery.

It is born from moments when
humanity chose understanding over rejection.

 

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